Generation YSM: Meet violinist Emily Shehi ’23MM

Meet violinist and first-year master’s degree candidate Emily Shehi. Emily spoke with us about studying with Augustin Hadelich, pursuing relaxing hobbies, and more.

Q: What are you most looking forward to about studying with faculty violinist Augustin Hadelich?

A: I am very excited! I have always been inspired by his musicianship and feel very fortunate to be his student.

Q: You regularly perform for audiences in retirement communities. What has motivated those efforts?

A: I first began performing for residents at my local retirement home when I was in elementary school and have loved it ever since. Elderly people are not always respected in our society, as I believe this pandemic has highlighted, and I am always motivated to do what I can and spend time with the residents. I hope that it will soon be safe to do so once again!

Q: You’re a photography aficionado. How and when did you discover that interest, and what do you most enjoy photographing?

A: I’m actually not so active with photography at the moment, but I can talk about knitting.

I really enjoy knitting, as it’s relaxing and I love that the end result is a scarf or hat that will keep a friend warm. I’ve made a sweater before, but I usually enjoy smaller projects. I'm currently working on a shawl to give to my mother. 

Q: What would you like to see your career look like when you graduate and how do you think studying at YSM will advance those aspirations?

A: Whatever the future holds, I hope that being a member of the YSM community will push me to grow as a musician and find my own path. After the last year of online learning, I am looking forward to being surrounded by people and (hopefully non-Zoom) music making and classes. I think that studying at YSM will provide me with inspiration to carry for many years!

Q: What have you been reading, listening to, and watching lately?

A: I recently watched Galapagos with David Attenborough! It’s a three-part documentary series that explores the strange evolution of the Galapagos Islands and the creatures who live there.

This is the third installment in a series called Generation YSM: Fall 2021.